Season 9 Week 1 Dance Cards |

week 1 dance cards

Judges' Comments:Len: Full of potential. Great start to the show.Bruno: All the energy goes all over the place. Sharp, edgy, lot of potential, but you need to control it.Carrie Ann: Little Aaron Carter’s all grown up! Excellent but feet were funky, steps were a little smallWaltz Relay: 1st place, 10 points

The son of actor/entertainer and former DWTS contestant George Hamilton (AKA George Hamilton) had some mixed reviews. Though a bit gawky/gangly and stiff, he was having fun and his winning smile and great attitude shone through. Not a lot of pop to his movement quality.

Scores:

total score

6

5

4

15

Judges Comments:Len: In all the basic steps your footwork was correct. It just had a roughness about it.Bruno: To me, this was dead. You have to sell it. Total lack of showmanship -- "your daddy can sell it."Carrie Ann: I didn’t see anything that defined or separated you from everybody.

Judges' Comments: Len: I’m a little bit bewildered. The salsa is sexy and steamy and what I can’t understand – we’ve got these gorgeous girls coming out here in one of the hottest dances. If they can’t knock my socks off, I don’t know what’s going on here. Carrie Ann: You know how to use your muscles. You’re a diamond in the rough. Bruno: Natalie, the million-dollar mermaid! And I think you could be one day make it here. You had some fantastic shapes and you hit great positions. problem is that you sometime freeze mid-performance.

Judges' Comments: Len: I realize this is the American Smooth version of the Viennese Waltz and you can release hold, but … the further you go from the dance, the more you lose. This was not a Viennese Waltz; it was a theatrical hodgepodge. [To Mya] You are a fantastic dancer. [To Dmitry] You have let her down by not doing a Viennese Waltz.Carrie Ann: Way to set the bar tonight! That was gorgeous. Your lines are incredible, the quality of movement, your turns are gorgeous. That was beautiful.Bruno: [in reaction to Len’s criticism] That was artistry! The girl was magnificent!

The Hall of Famer wide receiver is motivated by a Jerry Rice rivalry ("He got a 21 on his cha cha cha!"), and brings a typical athlete work ethic to the table. Anna, a newcomer to the show, did not deliver very inspiring choreography, a failing that was noted as a lack of "content" by all three judges.

Scores:

total score

4

5

4

13

Judges' Comments:Len: It wasn’t a great first dance. You’ve got to get slicker. Needs "more content"Bruno: You have a great presence, but the cha cha cha was poor. The footwork was out, the content was out.Carrie Ann: You beat Jerry Rice’s with charisma. You’ve got to fill it with way more dance moves. Called Anna out for her slim choreography.Waltz Relay: 3rd place, 6 points

Judges' Comments: Len: The start I couldn’t stand, it was all sweet and sickly. I thought your holds were good, I liked the movement you created. Overall, it was OK.Carrie Ann: You created a few moments that I’ll remember. What was lacking was your connection to the beat of the music, it felt a little choppy.Bruno: Are you nervous? [cackles] It was prim, it was proper, it was adequate, but it failed to ignite. Because you were tense you didn’t quite perform to the level I know you can.

Mark "The Chairman" Dacascos has had eleven years of martial arts training, which positions him well with respect to agility, flexibility, and movement. He does a lot of mouth pulling when he dances. Lacey played up his martial arts experience heavily in the choreography and song choice. Len, for one, was not a fan of this gimmicky approach.

Scores:

total score

7

7

7

21

Judges' Comments:Len: I’m not a fan of gimmicks (kung-fu). Praised hip action but said his footwork was "dodgy" Bruno: The talent is there, so keep it tight.Carrie Ann: The arms are a little “wah choo” (flailing, chopping arm motions)

Len: There’s a vulnerability about you and a charm. If I was at home, I’d be voting for you.Carrie Ann: That was fascinating. There’s something fascinating to watch about you. Your technique—I can’t even go there. It was beautiful in its own bizarre way. Bruno: You are endearing. It was like watching a child taking its first steps into a scary new world. You touch people’s hearts, now you have to start working on technique.

These two are well-matched with respect to size, like a cute little salt and pepper shaker set.

Scores:

total score

7

6

6

19

Judges' Comments:Len: Your hair’s not what you expect in a ballroom. I was surprised you could hear the music with it all hanging down. Your technique was very good. I enjoyed your dancing very much.Bruno: It was so cute. It was like watching a little dancing hobbit. If you carry on you’re going to be really, really good.Carrie Ann: I didn’t expect that from you. You obviously have not danced before. I really enjoyed it, it’s truly fun to watch. You respected the dance. Advice: "Get used to your heels."Salsa Relay: 2nd place, 8 points

Judges' Comments: Len: You have the potential to develop, but that lacked energy for me and it was far too careful. Carrie Ann: You have great posture, but in the salsa you’ve got to let go. You need to work on loosening up.Bruno: I know you can sell almost anything, but you didn’t sell the salsa. And sex, sex, sex. Salsa is sex, with no sex it doesn’t work.

Judges' Comments: Len: You said it was all about the hips, but that was what was missing. It was full of energy and I think you’re full of potential, but at the moment there’s a lot of work to do.Carrie Ann: You have a lot of guts, but what you lack is a connection from your character to the moves. I expected a lot more sass. Nice start, though.Bruno: You can work those bazoooms like nobody else. Your timing was all over the place. It was a very difficult dance, and you lost timing many times.

Chuck's rehearsals were painful to watch. Though super-earnest in his efforts, he displayed some of the lowest-wattage musicality of anyone who has ever been on the show. His strained smile on the dance floor was literally painful to watch. Gotta hand it to the guy for trying so hard.

Judges' Comments:Bruno: The footwork was poor, the hands terrible, and the timing went -- you have some work to do. Called the pairing the "gentle Neanderthal and the Russian princess." Carrie Ann: You’re not graceful yet, but you were smooth. Her advice: "Find the purpose behind the movement."Len: It was much better than I thought it was going to be. I want you to get in touch with your feminine side, a little bit more graceful. "I smiled the whole way through."

We *heart* Donny! He's obviously come to prove he's as talented at dancing as his sister Marie, who endured impressively in DWTS season 5. In rehearsals he lamented "the Osmond slouch," identifying his posture as the thing he'll have to work hardest on. He's such a Boy Scout, easily embarrassed by the more intimate holds the dances require of the male partner. Overall, Donny was energetic, a dapper showman who was clearly enjoying himself and the thrill of the competition.

Scores:

total score

6

7

7

20

Judges' Comments:Bruno: You can play an audience like a master fiddler – full-frontal theatrical, and it works. But the foxtrot wasn’t as good as the theatricality."Shoulders were bad."Carrie Ann: You’re obviously going to be a fan favoriteLen: For me, too theatrical, too much razzmatazz Salsa Relay: 1st place, 10 points

OMG! Tom's outfit was such a strange combination of Partridge Family meets Pilgrim meets church choir leader. And Cheryl's wasn't helping compensate much.

Scores:

total score

5

6

5

16

Judges' Comments: Bruno: You’re crazier than Sarah Palin. The little cha cha you did was not bad, the rest, I am not sure.Carrie Ann: That was surreal. You’re very light on your feet, you have a natural grace to you. You’re rockin’ it for the older crowd.Len: Parts were magic, parts were tragic.